High Contrast Negatives and Printing

ErinHilburn · Feb 10, 2006

I've been working with a professor on a project for his class. He said he wanted a lot of edgy things. I took some sample images to him today and apparently what he really meant was extremely high contrast prints. I've never actually attempted to make a very, very contrasty scene with normal lighting. In the effort to give him what he wants I felt that I needed to ask how one went about making extremely contrasty negatives. I'm aware that I could do it in the dark room, but he seemed very adament that it be done in the negative.

Oh and I'll be shooting outside with ambient light because its a documentary of the campus workers. Anything you could suggest would be of great help to me.

-Erin

Andy K · Feb 10, 2006

Hi erin,

Today I uploaded a shot which came froma very contrasty neg, caused by having to shoot very underexposed and then compensating by extending the development time.

You will find it in the Standard gallery 'Doughnut Thief'.

Andy.

Donald Miller · Feb 10, 2006

ErinHilburn said:
I've been working with a professor on a project for his class. He said he wanted a lot of edgy things. I took some sample images to him today and apparently what he really meant was extremely high contrast prints. I've never actually attempted to make a very, very contrasty scene with normal lighting. In the effort to give him what he wants I felt that I needed to ask how one went about making extremely contrasty negatives. I'm aware that I could do it in the dark room, but he seemed very adament that it be done in the negative.

Oh and I'll be shooting outside with ambient light because its a documentary of the campus workers. Anything you could suggest would be of great help to me.

-Erin

1. Shoot in high contrast situations...that means mid day sun with no clouds and consequent deep shadows.

2. Choose a film which will respond to extended development. Efke, Tmax are films that I use and that come to mind that will fit this requirement.

3. Underexpose and over develop. You might begin by underexposing
by one stop and develop for twice the recommended development time.

Les McLean · Feb 10, 2006

Donald Miller said:
1. Shoot in high contrast situations...that means mid day sun with no clouds and consequent deep shadows.

2. Choose a film which will respond to extended development. Efke, Tmax are films that I use and that come to mind that will fit this requirement.

3. Underexpose and over develop. You might begin by underexposing
by one stop and develop for twice the recommended development time.

Donald, are you sure this is the correct advice. In high contrast situations I'd do the opposite, overexpose and reduce development up to 2 stops.

If you push the development as you suggest the highlights in the negative will increase in density and make them even more difficult to print. Underexposure will also reduce the amount of information recorded in the shadows.

Donald Miller · Feb 10, 2006

Les McLean said:
Donald, are you sure this is the correct advice. In high contrast situations I'd do the opposite, overexpose and reduce development up to 2 stops.

If you push the development as you suggest the highlights in the negative will increase in density and make them even more difficult to print. Underexposure will also reduce the amount of information recorded in the shadows.

Les,

This is what the initial post said:

"--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been working with a professor on a project for his class. He said he wanted a lot of edgy things. I took some sample images to him today and apparently what he really meant was extremely high contrast prints. I've never actually attempted to make a very, very contrasty scene with normal lighting. In the effort to give him what he wants I felt that I needed to ask how one went about making extremely contrasty negatives. I'm aware that I could do it in the dark room, but he seemed very adament that it be done in the negative."

I may be wrong Les, but what I read this to indicate is that the professor wanted high contrast to be shown on the negative...not to control high contrast on the negative.

ErinHilburn · Feb 10, 2006

Thanks for all the responses I really appreciate your help.
-Erin

vet173 · Feb 10, 2006

What about going Litho?

Les McLean · Feb 10, 2006

Donald Miller said:
Les,

This is what the initial post said:

"--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been working with a professor on a project for his class. He said he wanted a lot of edgy things. I took some sample images to him today and apparently what he really meant was extremely high contrast prints. I've never actually attempted to make a very, very contrasty scene with normal lighting. In the effort to give him what he wants I felt that I needed to ask how one went about making extremely contrasty negatives. I'm aware that I could do it in the dark room, but he seemed very adament that it be done in the negative."

I may be wrong Les, but what I read this to indicate is that the professor wanted high contrast to be shown on the negative...not to control high contrast on the negative.

Sorry Donald, galloping confusion must have taken over my attention buds when I read the post.

noseoil · Feb 11, 2006

Erin, Donald's suggestion for Efke film is a good place to start. With very flat light, use the 25. With "normal" light I would use the 100 and do as he suggested. The 25 doesn't like under exposure. Shadows will turn to coal lumps pretty fast.

Your professor is most likely trying to get you to understand the relationship between exposure and development. In order to make a negative with more contrast, more development is in order. How much more contrast? If it is a stop, you might try between 20% and 30% more development as a starting point. A fim like Tri-x will run out of steam pretty fast on plus development, so make sure you use a film with the ability to build contrast beyond the norm, or your tests will not be too good. Both Efke products mentioned here will do the job well, or even too well, so you will have to play with exposure and development to get what you need. tim

fhovie · Feb 11, 2006

I think it is interesting that slow films are great for building contrast and fast films are great for absorbing it. It is ironic that at sundown, when SBR is 4, I pull out slow film for long exposures and at late morning with runaway SBR, I am using the fast film to tame it. It all seems so backwards but I get my best images this way.

ErinHilburn · Feb 11, 2006

The thing is that he's a design professor and its not a class. I'm just doing him a favor. He's just worked with photographers who have used recorder film and made very contrasty negatives so he expects that from me. I will try underexposure and overdevelopment. The film I currently have a lot of is Agfa silvertone can I overdevelop that or will I have unhappy consequences? I know I have a friend who overdeveloped in HC110 and the results he got were very contrasty. I believe there's some lying around the university . Thanks for all your help. I will try to do as everyone suggested.

I also just recently bought a 120 roll of efke but JandC was apparently out of the 35mm version so I'll have to wait on that.
Thanks again,
Erin

High Contrast Negatives and Printing

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